| Birth: | Aug. 7, 1920
Ellsinore
Carter County
Missouri, USA | | Death: | Nov. 24, 1997
Butler County
Missouri, USA | 
☆☆☆ WORLD WAR II VETERAN ☆☆☆
Uncle Merton's parents, Scott and Delia Ann Box Alcorn, were married on June 3, 1911 and he had 8 siblings:
Mildred Pauline (1912-1997)
Cecil Clyde (1915-2003)
Percy Eugene (1917-1998)
Scott Lafayette "Scottie" (1923-1998)
Roy Anvil (1925-1973)
Walter Ray (1928-1964)
Donald Lee (1931-2002)
Billy Joe (1934-1982)
His paternal grandparents were:
Lafayette Alcorn and Alice (Love) Alcorn
His maternal grandparents were:
Maston "Matthew" Wiley Box and
Margaret Elizabeth "Maggie" (Seats) Box
Uncle Merton served in the U.S. Air Force as a Radio Operator in the 388th Bomb Group during World War II and was a prisoner of war. On a mission to Brunswick, Germany, his plane was shot down on March 23, 1944 in Germany and upon capture, he was sent to Stalag Luft One, a Nazi camp in Barth, Germany, where thousands of downed Allied fliers who had parachuted out of their planes and been captured were taken. Merton was housed in North 3, Barracks 2 (Block 302), Room 13. The prisoners called themselves "kriegies" (a shortened version of the German word for prisoner of war, "kriegesgefangener").
There he and the others endured brutal cold and starvation, and for at least one month (March, 1945) the prisoners were only each given one bowl a day of boiled rutabagas. On April 1, 1945 (Easter Sunday) the Germans dumped tens of thousands of Red Cross food parcels into the camp. However, many became sick due to overeating.
The German guards abandoned camp on April 30, 1945, escaping the advancing Soviet army. An announcement was made over the PA system that the prisoners were free and Uncle Merton and all others were airlifted out of the area.
Uncle Merton married Virginia Potter when he returned to the states. After their divorce, he married Pauline Ruser on November 23, 1957, and the couple raised two children. He worked as a general manager for Williamsville Stone and Porter-DeWitt Ready Mix in Poplar Bluff. He was also a partner with the Harris-Dexter Ready Mix Company in Dexter. After 40 years of service, he retired as President of Porter-DeWitt Construction Company.
A HUGE "Thank-You" to Star Kline for creating Uncle Merton's memorial originally!
Family links:
Parents:
Scott Lee Alcorn (1891 - 1946)
Delia Ann Box Alcorn (1892 - 1980)
| | | Burial:
Memorial Gardens Cemetery
Poplar Bluff
Butler County
Missouri, USA |
Maintained by: Kathie AAH
Originally Created by: Star Kline
Record added: Mar 02, 2012
Find A Grave Memorial# 86114036 |
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Thank you for your service in preserving our country's freedoms. May you rest in peace.
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Charles A. Lewis
Added: Aug. 26, 2012 |
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Star Kline
Added: Mar. 2, 2012 |
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